Ice pops are such a classic treat and are a great way to beat the Florida heat, and there is a new business serving Ponte Vedra and the First Coast called King of Pops that are determined to take it to the next level.
Carey and Javonn Wright were originally from Jacksonville but moved back to the area from New York and were looking to start a business of their own.
“Originally we thought of a donut cart but then we thought about how much we love Popsicles, and it just took off from there,” Carey Wright said.
King of Pops Ponte Vedra opened in April and the couple owns several that have been making appearances at events throughout the months following.
“The look and feel of it is old-school with the pushcart and a rainbow umbrella over it,” Carey Wright said. “Those were symbols of fun back in the day.”
As if an ice pop pushcart was not unique enough, what makes King of Pops Ponte Vedra even more unique is that their pops are made with all natural ingredients and handcrafted, according to Carey Wright.
“You can definitely taste that difference,” Carey Wright said. “Having a product like that has definitely been huge and we’ve done so much in just a short period of time. Our customers like that they can see our ingredients and make a proper nutritional decision based on that. You can feel good about what you put in your body.”
An example of the natural ingredient approach at work is with its banana pudding pop, which is not just banana flavored, but instead has actual sliced bananas and cookie wafers inside the pop.
As franchise owners, the couple has access to more than 50 flavors, but they can only fit so many in their cart and they have found that the tropical flavors sell really well in Florida.
Strawberry lemonade and blueberry lemonade are among their top sellers and coconut lemongrass and patriot pop are seasonal examples that they have found also go good in conjunction with the summer.
They also offer vegan and gluten-free pops as alternative options.
Having multiple carts allows both Carey and Javonn to go to different events at the same time.
“We have gone as far as Pecan Road in Jacksonville, and our hope is to be known throughout the First Coast area one day,” Carey Wright said.
Owning the business as a couple has allowed for the business to portray certain family vibes that they believe helps to build a strong foundation of family that customers appreciate.
“It really makes for some cool conversations with our customers, because we get to laugh with the kids and get to know the families,” Javonn Wright said. “For some people, it has been years since they’ve had a Popsicle and many of them prefer to stand there and talk while they eat it.”
Another thing they have found since bringing the business to the area is the fact that ice pops are something that so many people enjoy regardless of their age.
It is something the entire family can get crossing the generations within a family.
“It really does bring people together by bringing them back to their childhood,” Carey Wright said. “It brings back memories for adults and creates new ones for kids.”
